This invention relates to the art of working platforms for supporting persons performing work on structures, and more particularly to a new and improved platform installed below the deck or roadway of a bridge.
It is necessary to periodically clean and repaint the surfaces of steel bridges to prevent corrosion and deterioration of the steel supporting structure. This, in turn, creates the need to provide a safe and effective support for workmen performing the cleaning and painting of the surfaces beneath the deck or roadway of the bridge. In addition, environmental concerns and regulations give rise to the need for containing the debris from the cleaning operation as well as paint residue and spillage.
A number of bridge platforms have been proposed but many are complex structures and time consuming to erect and dismantle. Other prior art platforms are not sufficiently rigid or are limited in height, i.e., the distance between platform flooring and bridge steel structure, due to the manner in which they are attached to the bridge. Some prior platforms extend for only a short distance longitudinally of the bridge and are limited in that respect.
It would, therefore, be highly desirable to provide a new and improved bridge platform and method of erecting the same which is safe, provides a sufficiently rigid support for workman standing and walking thereon, which is simple in structure, light in weight, and therefore quick, easy and economical to erect and dismantle, which extends for a significant portion of the length of the bridge and which is effective in containing debris from the cleaning and painting operations performed on the bridge.